Closure for jars, tumblers, and other receptacles



Oct. 26 192 6.

A. INGRAM ET AL CLOSURE FOR JARS, 'IUMBLERS, AND OTHER REGEPTACLE 2Sheets-Sheet 1 5114 van 121-2 50 h flare 1 m1 Filed June 23, 1920MIHIIIHIIH @zzfzo 26 39%;

A1 WGZZAM ET AL CLOSURE FOR JARS, TUMBLERS, AND OTHER RECEPTACLES FiledJune 23, 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 26, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED INGRAM HARRY INGRAM, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORS, BY MESNEASSIGNMENTS, TO HAZEL-ATLAS GLASS COMPANY, OF WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA, ACORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

CLOSURE FOR JARS, TUMBLERS, AND OTHER RECEPTACLES.

Application filed June 23, 1920. Serial No. 391,054.

' action of the gasket when it is in position surrounding the upper sidewall of the jar or tumbler or with the aid of the mechanical features ofthe cap and particularly those features thereof which may be spun undera shoulder on the jar or tumbler and c0- operate with other features ineffecting an entirely reliable sealing action and which,

.. without the use of the vacuum, will permit the sterilizing of thecontents of the pack age to a high degree, (say, 240 degrees Fahrenheit.without danger of the cap be-- ing blown off from the receptacle andwithout the. aid of any external pressure. Av further purpose of theinvention is to provide *means whereby a very tightly fitting cap may beconveniently detached from "its jar or tumbler with the use of anicepick or other pointed instrument which may be ordinarily found inhouseholds, and in this respect our invention seeks to remedy the wellrecognized difliculties incident to the removing of caps, possessingproper sealing qualities, from jars or tumbles contain ing foodproducts. In accordance with our invention we provide the cap with adepending skirt portion having a depending tear-off tab of specialconstruction per mitting the use of an ice-pick or other convenientinstrument for tearing, with a lever action, the tab upwardly from itsnormal position and through the skirt of the cap to a sufiicient extentto so release the cap that the cap may be readily removed from the jar,one of the important advantages of our special construction of tear-offtab being not only that it may be torn upwardly with the use of apointed instrument, but that instead of being ripped through on the.operation of the instrument against the same,

itfwill resist being torn itself and permit the instrument to tear thetab upwardly through the skirt on the cap to a position at which the capis left in condition for convenient removal.

Our invention may be applied to jars and tumblers of various shapes andconstructions and is capable of embodiment, with advantage, in closurecaps of various kinds.

The invention will be fully understood from the detailed descriptionhereinafter presented, reference being had to the ac companyingdrawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the closure of our invention applied to ajar, the jar being shown as partly broken away;

Fig. 2 is a bot-tom view of the cap, the jar being omitted;

.Fig. 3 is a vertical section through a portion of the jar and closure,taken on the dotted line 3-3 of Fig. l, and illustrating the manner ofapplying a tool to the tear-off tab of the closure for aiding in theremoval of the closure from the jar;

Fig. 4 is a corresponding view showing the tear-off tab as having beentorn upwardly from the closure to the top thereof;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of the jar and closure,taken from the left hand side of Fig. 4, and Fig. 5 indicates by thedotted line 44 the section on which Fig. 4 is taken;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of'a modified form ofclosure of our invention applied to a jar or tumbler differing inoutline from the jar shown in Fig. 1, the jar shown in Fig. 6 beingpartly broken away;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation on a-larger scale. partly broken away andpartly in section, of the jar and closure shown in Fig. 6 on a smallerscale, Fig. 7 beinga side elevation which may be regarded as having beentaken from either the right hand side or lei t hand side of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation, partly broken away and partly in section, ofa. jar or tumbler having a modified form of cap ion In the drawings,referring to Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, designates a jar of known typehaving a laterally projecting downwardly diverging side-rim portion 11affording at its lower edge a horizontal shoulder 12, and 13 indicatesthe cap of our invention, said cap comprising a top 14 and downwardlydepending skirt or flange portion 15 which is annularly recessed in itsupper portion,

t of the fingers.

at 16, to receive a gasket 17 which, in the sealing position of theclosure, tightly engages the exterior of the rim 11 and the inner wallof the recessed portion of the skirt or flange 15, as shown in Fig. 3.The skirt or flange 15 of the cap has, at the lower edge of the recess16, an annular shoulder 18 which affords a seat for the lower edge ofthe gasket 17 and cooperates with the general features of the cap inclosely binding the gasket against the side wall of the receptacle andin securing an efi'ectual seal. The. cap 13 extends downwardly over theside of the receptacle 10 to about the horizontal plane of the shoulder12, and at the lower edge of its skirt portion or flange 15 said cap isformed integrally with one or more depending tear-off tabs 19, the capshown bemg, in the present instance, equipped with four .of saidtear-off tabs 19 arranged equidistant from one another, as shown in Fig.2. The tear-off tabs 19 are preferably of substantial width at their upper edges and thereat are spun under the shoulder 12 whereby the metalofthe cap, at the upper edges of the tabs 19, is given an arc formation 20which projects inwardly below the shoulder 12 and cooperates with theshoulder in resisting upward movement of the cap at all times andespecially during the sterilization of the contents ofthe jar at a hightemperature. The are forinations or shoulders 20 formed at the upperends of the tabs 19 by the spinning or bending of the tabs beneath theshoulder 12 also increases thestrength of the cap and permits us toemploy metal of reasonable thinness and tenderness in the constructionof the cap, it being desirable that metal of this character be employedon account of lightness of weight and, among other advantages because itenables the tearing upwardly o the tabs 19 without undue exertion.shall, however, whenever the occasion so requires, employ good stiffmetal in the caps 13, and hence we also make provision In connectionwith the tabs 19 for the tearing upwardly of the same to release the capeven though the metal of the cap might ordinarily be of a character toresist the earing upwardly of the tabs with the use The tabs 19 aredistinctive in two particulars, one being that each tab is formed withan opening or hole 21 extending through it at a convenient point aboveits lower edge and bel w h am -ment, since the lower shoulder 20created,

in Fig. 1 at the upper edge of the tab, and

this hole 21 is adapted to receive a pointed instrument, as an icepick22 (Fig. 3), to be used as a lever for prying the tab upwardly andtearing the same upwardly through the skirt of the cap or to a positionsubstantially as indicated in Figs. 4 and 5. It has heretofore beenproposed to employ tear-off tabs on closures, but these tear-off tabshave been ineflicient when on closures formed of stout metal, because oftheir resistance to the action of the fingers in the effort of tearingoff the tab. In accordance with our invention we provide the tabs 19with the holes 21 so that the pointed-instrument may be convenientlyapplied to the tabs and used as a lever for tearing the tabs upwardly,as will readily be seen on reference to Fig. 3. The instrument may beapplied downwardly through the hole 21, as we show in Fig. 3, orupwardlv through said hole, as may be preferred.

further important feature of the tear-off tab 19 resides in the factthat the tear-off tab is reinforced to prevent the instrument 22 fromtearing throu h the tab itself instead of tearing the ta upwardlythrough the skirt or flange 15 of the cap, and we regard thisreinforcing of the tab for the purpose mentioned as very important,since it is well known that many caps fit tumblers and jars so tightlythat they can only with great-difliculty'be removed therefrom. In thepresent instance we form the reinforcement for the tabs 19 by curlingover the lower edge of the metal of the tab, as at- 23, so as to providethe reinforcement at the lower edge of the hole 21, such reinforce mentin that position serving to efi'ectually resist the action ofthe tool 22against the tab and which action, in the absence of the reinforcement,would, in the case of thin or tender metal, rip through the tab. insteadof tearing the tab upwardly through the skirt or'flange 15. We do notlimit our invention to the curlingover of the lower edge of the tab, asat 23, to provide the reinforceedge of the tab might be turned overflatwise or otherwise shaped to reinforce the tab. The reinforcement isfor the benefit of-the tab as a whole and particularly to prevent thehole 21 from being torn through under the act-ion of the tool 22, andhence one of the main purposes of the reinforcement is to maintain theintegrity of t-hehole 21; We therefore do not limit the invention to thespecial detail shown for reinforcing the hole 21 -or maiI 1 taining theintegrity of thesame, since it is new with us both to provide the tabwith the hole 21 and with a reinforcement enabling the use of the tool22 for so releasing the cap that it may be conveniently re moved.

The cap 13 tightly fits upon the jar 10 and the gasket on the placing ofthe cap upon the jar, becomes deformed into the recess 16 and engagesthe cap and jar with sealing effect, and when the tabs 19 are employedand at their upper ends spun under the shoulder 12, the contents of thejar may be subjected to high heat for sterilization purposes withoutdanger ofthe cap blowing'ofl' even though the surfaces around the mouthof the jar may be slightly diverging or inclined, as shown in Figs. 2and 4. hen a tab 19 is torn upwardly through the skirt or flange 15 ofthe cap, the gasket 17 becomes exposed, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, andthe holding quality of the cap released to a sufficient extent to permitof the convenient removal of the cap.

In Figs. 6 and 7 we illustrate our invention as applied to a tumbler orjar 24 having plain side walls .about its rim, and in Figs. 6 and 7 thecap shown is identical with the cap illustrated in Fig. 1, with theexception that since the tumbler or jar 24 does not possess the shoulder12 of the jar 10, the upper ends of the tear-off tabs extend downwardlyclose against the sides of the tumbler or jar 24. In Figs. 6 and 7 wenumber the cap as a whole 25, the flange or skirt portion thereof 26 andthe tear-off tabs 27, these tabs each having a hole 28 and areinforcement 29 corresponding with the hole 21 and reinforcement 23 ofFig. 1. The cap 25 contains in the upper portion of its skirt or flangea recess 29 holding the gasket 30, and at the lower edge of the recess29 is formed an inwardly and downwardly converging shoulder 31corresponding with the shoulder 18 of Fig. 3. The construction shown inFigs. 6 and 7 is so nearly identical with the construction shownin Figs.1 to 5 inclusive that further detailed description with respect to Figs.6 and 7 is not required. We' may say, however, that the closures shownin Figs. 6 and 7 will be secured by the vacuum process, as indicated inFig. 7, and that two tear-off tabs 27 will be ample for the cap 25. Infact one tear-off tab 27 may be alone made use of on any of the capspresented herein, and therefore we do not limit our invention to theemployment of four tags or two tabs or any plural number of ta s.

In Fig. 8 we illustrate our invention as applied toa known type oftumbler or jar 30 and to a ca 31 in whose skirt portion is confined agas et 32 which by vertical pressure applied to the beading of the saidskirt portion is tightly squeezed against the side walls of the tumbleror jar 30. The special construction of cap shown in Fig. 8 is one whichhas been found to be very difiicult in deed to remove from jars ortumblers, and hence we show one form of our invention in connectlon withthe cap 31, which we equip with the integral tear-0E tabs 33 possessingbeaded portion of the skirt of the cap so T: i

as to fully. expose the gasket 32 and permit the tearing away, whennecessary, of the same.

In Fig. 9 we illustrate our invention as applied to a preferred form ofcap 37 and tumbler or jar 38. In the construction shown in Fig. 9 theupper exterior rim portion of the jar or tumbler is formed with a recess39 at whose lower edge is a shoulder 40 which supports a gasket 41confined Within the upper outer edges of the skirt portion 42 of the cap37. Below the annular recess 39 the outer sides of the jar convergeinwardly and downwardly on a graceful curvature and thereby an annularshoulder 43 is formed on the jar below which shoulder the lower edgeportion of the skirt or flange 42 is spun, as at 44. The flange or skirt42 is formed integrally with depending tear-off tabs 45 having holes 46and reinforcements 47, said holes 46 and reinforcements 47 correspondingwith the holes 21 and reinforcements 23 of Fig. 1 and being provided fora like purpose.

Our invention may thus be embodied in several forms of caps and utilizedin conpgtction with several forms of jars and the What we claim as ourinvention and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is-

1. In combination with a receptacle, a closure therefor comprising a capof thin, flexible and comparatively tender material having a dependingskirt portion containing an annular recess which extends around thereceptacle, a gasket in said recess to form an annular side seal and atear-off tab integral with and extending from the lower edge of saidskirt portion, said tab containing a hole to receive a pointedinstrument with which the tab may be torn upwardly through said skirtportion to release the cap. 7

2. In combination with a receptacle, a closure therefor comprising a capof thin. flexible and comparatively tender material having 2. dependingskirt portion containing an annular recess which extends around thereceptacle, a gasket in said recess to form an annular side seal and atear-off tab integral with and extending from the lower edge of saidskirt portion, said tab contain ing a hole to receive a pointedinstrument with which the tab may be torn upwardly through said skirtportion to release the cap, and said tab having a reinforcement toprevent the instrument from ripping throu h the end of the tab.

3. n combination with a receptacle, a closure therefor comprising a capof thin, flex ceptacle,

ible and comparatively tender material having a depending skirt portioncontaining an annular recess which extends around the rea gasket in saidrecess to form an annular side seal and a tear-off tab integral with andextending from the lower edge of said skirt portion, said tab containinga hole to receive a pointed instrument with which the tab may be tornupwardly through said skirt portion to release the cap, and'said tabbeing folded upon itself below said hole to provide a reinforcement .toprevent the instrument from ripping through the tab.,

4. In combination with a receptacle, a closure therefor comprising a capof thin, flexible and comparatively tender material having a dependingskirt portion containing an annular recess which extends around thereceptacle, a gasket in said recess to form an annular side seal and atear-off tab integral with and extending from the lower edge of saidskirt portion and having a reinforced hole to receive a pointedinstrument with which the tab may be torn upwardly through said skirtportion to release the cap.

5. In combination with a receptacle, a closure therefor comprising a capof thin, flexinstrument with which the tabs may be torn' upwardlythrough said skirt portion to release the cap. 7

6. In combination with a receptacle, a closure therefor comprising a caphaving a depending skirt portion containing an annular recess whichextends around the receptacle, a gasket tightly filling said recess andengaging the side of the receptacle to form an annular side seal and atear-ofl' tab integral with and extending from the lower edge of saidskirt portion and containing a hole to receive a pointed instrument withwhich the tab may be torn upwardly through said skirt portion to releasethe cap, said hole being reinforced to prevent the instrument fromripping through the tab.

ALFRED INGRAM. I HARRY INGRAM.

from the lower edge of

